Race-starting machine



(No Model.) 2 sheetssneer 1.

W. MAXWELL.

RACB STARTING MACHINE.

Patented Deo. 2,9, 1896.

KMA

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Patented Deo. 29, 1896.

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(No Model.) v

Wl MAXWELL.

RACE STARTING MAGHINB. No. 574,205.

UNITED STATES ATENT Finca?.

\VILLIAM MAXWELL, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

RACE-STARTING MACHINE. .v

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 574,205, dated December29, 1896. Application filed .Tune 29, 1896. Serial No. 597,504. (Nomodel.)

T a/ZZ whom t may coli/cern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM MAXWELL, of the city of St. Louis, State ofMissouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRace-Starting Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming apart hereof.

My invention relates to race-starting machines; and it consists in thenovel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinaftershown, described, and claimed.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved race-starting machine inposition for use. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the machine. Fig. 3 isan enlarged detail perspective of one end of the netting and mechanismfor carrying the same. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail perspective of theupper end of one of the main posts. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectionalView of the means I employ in securing the end of the elastic cord ofwhich I make use. Fig. 6 is a side elevation, on an enlarged scale,'ofone of the electromagnetic 'boxes of which I make use and the means ofmounting the same. Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the electromagneticapparatus contained in the box shown in Fig. 6, the top of the box beingremoved. Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view on the line S S of Fig. 7.Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail perspective of one of theelectricallycontrolled dogs of which I make use. Fig. 10 is a sideelevation of the device which the dog shown in Fig. 9 controls, said dogbeing indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 10.

In the construction of my improved racestarting machine I employ the twomain posts 11 and 12, which are preferably made of gaspipe and are setin the cast-iron bases 13 and 14, which bases are iiat on their bottomsand are designed to rest upon the ground. Near the tops of the posts 11and 12 are collars 15 and 16, and upon opposite sides of each of saidcollars are the ears 17 and 18, and proj ectin g from said collars atright angles to said ears 17 and 1S are the ears 19. A guy-rope 2O isattached to the ear 1S upon the post 12, and the lower end of saidguy-rope is attached to the block and tackle 21, which is in turnattached to the stake 22, driven in the ground. A guy-rope 23 isattached to the ear 10, and its lower end operate the pins 38.

and 12 are heavy wires 26, and the lower end of the wire 26 is attachedto the upper end of the frame 27, and the lower end of said frame 27 isattached to the blocks and tackle 28, which are in turn attached to thestakes 29. A block 30 is inserted transversely of each of the frames 27,and a metallic casing or box 31 is attached to the upper face of each ofsaid blocks. Within each of the boxes 31 is the electromagneticapparatus shown in Fig. 7.

The magnet-coils 32, having the usual magmetic cores 33, are located inthe box 31 and are attached to the inner face of the side wall 34 ofsaid box. A block of insulation 35 is situated between the rear ends ofthe coils 32 and the inner face of the wall 34, and a suitableconnection between the rear ends of the cores 33 is made through saidblock of insulation. The armature 36 is pivotally mounted within the box3l and in a position to have its free end engage the ends of themagnetcores 33. Projecting from the lower corner of the armature 36 areears 37, through which One of said pins 38 is positioned in a bearingformed in the wall 39, and the other one of said pins is mounted in theear 40, which is attached to the bottom of the box 31. A coil-spring 41has one of its ends attached to the bottom of the box 31, and its freeend rests against the rear side of the armature 36, and said spring 41operates to hold the armature 36 away from the ends of the magnet-cores33 when said magnet-cores are not energized.

Extending into the box 31, from the side wall 34 and at the oppositeside of the magnet-coils 32 from the wall 39 is a wall 42, which wallruns about half-way across the bottom of said box. 4In the space withinthe box 31, between the walls 42 and 43, a pair of ears 44 and a pair ofears 45 are attached to the bottom of the box. Posts 46 are pivotallyconnected to the ears 44 by means of the pin 47, as shown in Fig. 8. Acoil-spring 48 encircles the pin 47, and one end of said spring IOC isattached to the bottom ol the box 3l, while the free end of said springis attached to one ot' the posts 6.

Projecting rearwardly at right angles to the posts -lG and jfrom thefree end thereof is a jaw 9, and projecting forwardly from the lixed endof the jaw -l9 are the ears 59. The bar 51 has the ears 52 attached toone of its ends, said ears being designed to operate between the ears50, and the pin 52B passes through the ears and the ears 52, forming apivotal connection between the same. At the opposite end of the bar 5lfrom the ears 52 is an ear 5l. The rectangular plate has the ears 5G,between which the ear 5l operates, and the pin 57 passes through saidears 5G and the ear 5l and forms a pivotal connection between the plateand the bar 5l. At the opposite side of the plate from the ears 5G arethe ears 5S, and a pin 59 passes through the wall lil of the box ill andthen through the ears 5S and through the ear 69, which is attached tothe wall Ul of the box 3l, which wall (5l is opposite the wall 3l. Thusis formed a toggle-joint connection between the jaw .49 and the wall Gl.

A hollow shaft 62 is mounted between the ears a5, and a pin 62L passesthrough said ears l5 and through said shaft. A bar 63 is connected toone end of said shaft G2 and projects upwardly1 therefrom at rightangles to said shaft, and the upper end (il of said bar is bent at rightangles to the body of said bar and to the opposite side of said bar fromthe side to which the shaft G2 is attached. An arm G5 is attached to thebar G3 at a point intermediate of its ends and in vertical alinementwith the free end of the end Get. 'lhe free end of the arm is inposition to be cngaged by the rear face of the armature 3G when saidarmature is operated by energizing the magnet-cores 33.

Projecting toward the inagnctcoils from the inner ear 5G is an arm GG,having a recess 97 at its lower rear corner, which recess is designed toreceive the upper front corner of the end G-l. A coil-spring (5S has oneend attached to the shal't G2 and passes several times around saidshaft, and the other end of said spring is attached to the bottom of thebox 3l. When the toggle-joint formed by the bar 5l and the plate isnearly straightened, as shown in Fig. S, the coil-spring Gb operates topress the bar G3 forwardly into engagement with the recess (57 and tocarry the end ofthe arm G5 into a position to be engaged by the a rmature 3G when said armature is operated.

The spring 4S operates to hold the posts 6 normally `in a verticalposition. lVhen the armature 236 is operated to engage the end of thearm G5 and push the end tit out of the recess (57, upward pressure uponthe jaw :1.9 will cause the toggle-joint to bend downwardly, and whensaid pressure is removed from said ljaw the tension of the spring @t8will operate to right the posts etti into a vertical position, thusstraightening the toggle-joint and allowing the end (A to return to itsnormal position in the recess G7.

The top of the box 8l is cut away above the jaw t9, and the upper end ofthe wall 34: of said box is cut away behind said jaw 49, allowing theextreme rear edge of said jaw to project backwardly through said wall.

An electric wire G9 passes from the positive pole of the cell-battery tothe binding-post 7l, fixed in one corner of the block 30 upon theleft-hand side of the track, and a wire 72 leads from saidbii'idiiig-post through the wall (5l of the box 3l to the right-hand oneof the magnet-coils 32. A wire 753 connects the magnet-coils, and a wire74 leads from the lefthand one of the magnet-coils to the bindingpost75, and a wire 7G leads from the bindingpost 7l to the insulator 77 upontop of the post ll, and from thence across over the track to theinsulator 7S upon top of the post l2, and from thence to thebinding-post 7l upon the block atthe right-hand side of the track. Thewire 79 leads from the binding-post 75 upon said block 30 at theright-hand side of the track to the starters push-buttons SO, mountedupon the fence, andthe wire Sl leads from said push-buttons back to thebindingpost 82 upon said right-hand block, and the wire 83 leads fromsaid binding-post 82 to the insulator 7S, thence across the track to theinsulator 77, and thence to the binding-post S2 upon the left-handblock, and the wire Si leads from said binding-post S2 upon theleft-hand block to the negative pole of the battery 70.

A strip of netting 86 is stretched across the track, as shown in Fig. 2,and stretchers S7 are inserted between the edges of the netting. At eachend of the netting Sti is a roller SS, and each of said rollers ismounted and earried as shown in Fig. A bar of iron S9 has its ends bentinto parallel positions and at right angles to the body of said bar,thus forming the ears 90, and the wire 2G passes through theperforations in said ears 90, as shown in Fig. l. A block of wood 91 isattached to the upper side of the bar 89, and an ear 92 is attached tothe upper end of said block. A post 93 is vertically positioned insideof the block 9i and against the center of said block. The post 93 is atrifle longer than the roller SS, and a strap of iron 94 is posi tionedwith its lower end extendinginwardly from the lower end 95 of the post93, and said strap extends up and outside of the post 93 and is attachedthereto by the screws 9G. Then said strap extends outwardly around theouter side oi' the block 91, and a bolt 97 passes through said strap andthrough the block 91 and through the post 93. Then said strap passesupwardly and is attached tothe upper end of the post 93 by screws 98,and the cxtreme upper end 99 of said strap is bent in wardly over theupper end ol' the post 93.

Fixed in the lower end of the roller S8 is a pin 100, designed tooperate in the bea-ring formed in the end 95 of the strap, and a similarpin lOl is iixed in the upper end of said IOO IOS

IIO

roller 88 and is' designed to operate in the slotted bearing 102 in theend 99 of the strap. A plate 103 is attached near the lower end of theblock 91, and a strap 104 is hinged to said plate.V The lower end 105 ofthe strap 104 is bent downwardly at right angles to the body of saidstrap and is designed to engage against the under face of the jaw 40.

Grooved pulleys 106 are mounted at the upper ends of the posts 11 and12, and elastic cords 107 operate over said pulleys and have clamps 10Sattached to their ends. The clamp 108'consists of a tube 109, design edto receive the end of the elastic cord. A concaved plate 110 is insertedin the tube 109 beside the cord, a winged screw 111 is screw-seated inone side of the tube with its point engaging the center of the plate110, and the end ot' the cord is gripped by operating the screw 111 andpressing the plate 110 against said cord. A hook 112 is attached to oneend of the tube 109, and the hooks of the clamps upon the front ends ofthe cords engage the ears 92, and the hooks of the clamps upon theopposite ends of said cords engage the hooks 113which are attached tothe ropes 114, which are secured to the fence.

When it is desired to bring the netting 86 down in front of the racers,the mechanism at each end of the netting is manually engaged and thebars 89 slide down the wires 26 until the ends 105 of the straps 104will engage the under faces of the jaws 49. The elastic cords 107 are ofsuch a length and such a tenacity that when they are left free tooperate they will pull the net-carryin g mechanism to the upper ends ofthe wires 26, and when the net-carrying mechanism is manually operatedthe elastic cords 107 will stretch as required to allow said mechanismto be moved down to the lower ends of the wires 26.' Vlien it is desiredto remove the netting 86 from in front ot' the racers, the starteroperates the push-button 80, the magnet-cores 33 are energized by theelectric current, the armature 36 is attracted and pushes the dog 64 outof the recess 67, allowing the toggle-joint freedom to operate, and thestrain of the elastic cords 107 pulling upwardly on the net-carryingmechanism is eX- erted by the ends of the straps 104 against the undersides of the jaws 49, causing the toggle-joint behind said jaws to giveway, allowing said jaw to tip forwardly and thus release thenet-carrying mechanism. Then the tension of the elastic cords 107 drawsthe netcarrying mechanism to the upper ends of the wires 26, thusremoving the net from in front of the racers and they are oft'.

The operation of the machine is practically noiseless, it is easilyknocked down and transported from place to place, and it possesses manyadvantages over the devices heretofore in use.

I claim- 1. In a device of the class described, a suitable barriermovably suspended across the track and electrically-operated mechanismfor holding and releasing-said barrier, which mechanism consists ofelectromagnets, ar1natures operated by said magnets,gpivotally mountedjaws adjacent to said magnets, toggle-joints operating the free ends ofthe posts supporting said jaws, trip mechanisms for holding andreleasing said toggle-joints and in positions to be operated by saidarmatures, and hooks attached to said barriers and designed to engagesaid jaws, substantially as specified.

2. In a device of the class described, inclined wires upon oppositesides of the track and extending in a direction parallel with the track,trames slidingly positioned upon said wires, rollers carried by saidframes in a Vertical position, a netting attached to and connecting saidrollers, electrically-controlled mechanisms rigid ly iiXed in positionsadjacent the lower ends of said wires, each of saidelectrically-controlled mechanisms consisting of an electromagnet, anarmature operated by said magnet, a post pivotally mounted adjacent saidmagnet, a jaw extending from the free end of said post'at right anglesthereto, a toggle-joint operating the free end of said post, tripmechanism for holding and releasing said toggle-joint and in a positionto be operated by said armature; an electric circuit operating saidmagnets, and hooks upon said sliding frames and engaging said jaws,substantially as specified.

3. ln a device of the class described, inclined wires upon oppositesides of the track and extending in a direction parallel with the track,frames slidingly positioned upon said wires, elastic cords attached tosaid frames in such a way that their tension will be exerted to elevatesaid frames, a suitable barrier connecting said frames,electrically-controlled mechanism rigidly iiXed in positions adjacentthe lower ends of said wires; each of said electrically-controlledmechanisms consisting of an electromagnet, an armature operated by saidmagnet, a post pivotally mounted adjacent said magnet, a jaw extendingfrom the free end of said post at right angles thereto, a toggle-jointVoperating the free end of said post, trip mechanism for holding andreleasing said toggle-joint and in a position to be operated by saidarmature; an electric circuit operating said magnets, and hooks uponsaid sliding frame and engaging said jaws, substantially as specified.

4. In a device of the class described, posts upon opposite sides of thetrack, guy-ropes extending from the tops of said posts in an inclineddirection to the ground, stakes driven in the ground, to which the lowerends of said guy-ropes-are attached, certain of said guyropes forminginclined supports upon opposite sides of the track, a suitablebarriersuspended across the track and slidingly connected with saidinclined supports, electrically-operated mechanism for holding andreleasing said barrier carried by said inclined IOO IIO

supports, elastic cords attached to said bararmatures, and hooksattached to said barrier in such a way that their tension will be riersand designed to engage said jaws, subexerted to elevate said barrier;which elec stantially as specified.

trieally-controlled mechanism consists 0f elee- In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature 5 tromagnets, armatures operated by said maginpresence of two witnesses.

nets, pivotally-nionnted jaws adjacent to said magnets, toggle-jointsoperating the free ends VILLIAM MAXWELL. of the posts snppolting` saidjaws, trip niech- Witnesses: anisms for holding and releasing saidtoggle- S. G. XVELLS,

1o joints and in position to be operated by said MAUD GRIFFIN.

